Country Profiles, Sweden. INSTITUTION Population Council, -New York, N.Y
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
DOCUMENT RF.SUKE ED 070 603 SE 014 956 AUTHOR Svala, Gertrud TITLE Country Profiles, Sweden. INSTITUTION Population Council, -New York, N.Y. PUB DATE Jul 72 NOTE 19p. AVAILABLE FROM The Population 'Council, 245 Park Avenue, New Yorke; New York 10017 (Free) EDRS PRICE MF-$0.65 HC -$3.29 DESCRIPTORS *Demography; *Developed Nations; *Family Planning; Health Education; National Programs; Population Distribution; Population Growth; *Population Trends; Social Sciences IDENTIFIERS Sweden ABSTRACT A profile of Sweden is sketched in this paper. Emphasis is placed on the nature, scope, and accomplishments of population activities in the country. Topics and sub-topics include: location and description of the country; population -- size, growth patterns, age structure, urban/rural distribution, ethnic and religious composition;, migration, literacy, economic status, future trends; population growth and socio-economic development -- relationships to national income, size of the labor force, agriculture, social welfare expenditures; history of population programs -- objectives, organization, operations, research and evaluation; private efforts in family planning; educational and scientific efforts in population; and foreign assistance for family planning activities. In many social aspects, Sweden is unique. It has, for example, the highest life expectancy and lowest infant mortality in the world. Per capita gross national product is third largest in the world and has been growing at almost 5 percent a year. Unemployment has been low. An analysis of generation replacement for Swedish females born in 1870 and afterward reveals that, in cohort terms, Swedish fertility has been at or just slightly below replacement roughly from the 1895 cohort onward. Today, the main deficiency in the Swedish family planning program is shortage of personnel and facilities. (LK) A PUBLICATION OF THE Country Profiles POPULATION U.C. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. COUNCIL EDUCATION & WELFARE OFFICE OF EDUCATION THIS DOCUMENT I-IAS BEEN REPRO. -PEOMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS COPY July 1972 DUCED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED FROM RIGHTED MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED THE PERSON OR ORGANIZATION ORIG- BY INATING IT. POINTS OF VIEW OR OPIN- IONS STATED DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENT OFFICIAL OFFICE OF EDU- Hobart Ellis CATION POSITION OR POLICY. TO ERIC AND ORGANIZATIONS OPERATING UNDER AGREEMENTS WITH THE U.S OFFICE SWEDEN OF EDUCATION. FURTHER REPRODUCTION OUTSIDE THE ERIC SYSTEM REQUIRES PER MISSION OF THE COPYRIGHT OWNER byGERTRUD SVALA quence of the recent report of a 1965 The author is a training associate in the Population Office of the Fordabortion committee (2). Foundation, New York. She is a native of Sweden and a recent graduate of the School of International Affairs of Columbia University in New York.Location and Description The author wishes to express her appreciation to Dr. Er land Hofsten,Situated in northern Europe on the demographic consultant of the National Bureau of Statistics, Stockholm,easternhalf of the Scandinavian peninsula, Sweden shares boundaries and Dr. Eva Bernhardt of the Population Division, Swedish Internationalwith Finland on the northeast and Development Authority, for their assistance in preparing this CountryNorway on the northwest and west. Profile. A particular expression of gratitude is due to Dr. Richard Sterner,The Baltic Sea and the Gulf of who was deeply involved in population matters during the 1930s, for hisBothnia lie to the east, Ihe Skagerrak constructive advice regarding this manuscript. and Kattegat seas to the southwest between Sweden and Denmark. With In many social aspects, Sweden islished in 1935 and 1941 to study thea length of 1,574 kilometers (almost unique. It has, for example, the high-question. The goals that the first com-1,000 miles) and an area of 449,793 est life expectancy and lowest infantmission recommended were increasedsquare kilometers(173,654square mortality in the world. Per capitafertility(tokeep thepopulationmiles), Sweden is Europe's fourth gross national product is third largeststable in the long run with as lowlargest country, Russia, France, and in the world and has been growing atmortality as possible), more middle-Spain being larger. Sweden is a con- almost 5 percent a year. Unemploy-sized families, raised living standardsstitutional monarchy with a long tra- ment has been low. for children and improved quality ofdition of parliamentary government. Social legislation is advanced. Swe-life, reduced illegitimacy, and moreA unicameral parliament replaced the den is, for example, among the coun-generally available birth control in-two-chamber system in January 1971. tries furthest along toward equalityformation, and the right to voluntaryThe country is administratively di- of women, and a wide range of childparenthood (1). vided into 24 counties. Stockholm is allowances, health provisions, ma- What the commissions proposedthe capital. Its foreign policy is based ternity benefits, and supports forwas a two-pronged attack to strength-on nonalignment during peace and homemakers protects families. en the social and economic basis of theneutrality during war. Although today there is no officialfamilyandpromoteresponsible Although Sweden lies on the same population policy as such, the govern-planned parenthood. Concrete meas-latitude as Alaska, the climate is ment makes it economically possibleures subsequently adopted represent arelatively mild because of the Gulf for those who want children to havethorough-going reform of the wholeStream. Average summer tempera- them, and it helps those who want tosocial and economic system of theture in Stockholm is about 18°C limit their families to learn how to donation. Specifically the reforms af-(64°F) and winter temperatureis so. Policy is based on social andfected such parts of family life as 3°C (26°F). The climatic influence humanitarianratherthan demo-health, housing, recreation, and edu-of its proximity to the Arctic Circle graphic grounds. cation. is, however, apparent from the barren Although there is today little, if Sweden has been a pioneer in popu-mountain ranges, glacial areas, and any, public concern about a possible,lation and family planning, both atsunlit summer nights that character- eventual decline of the Swedish popu-home and overseas. Voluntary familyize the north. Large deposits of iron lation, there was such a fear in theplanning is firmly instituted, and alllead, zinc, sulfur, manganese, and 1930s. At that time net reproductionmethods of contraception are readilylow-grade uranium ore are found in rate had dipped considerably belowavailable. Sweden also has a fairlynorthern and middle regions. Agri- replacement, and two governmentliberal abortion law, which may beculture is mainly limited to the fertile Population Commissions were estab-made even more liberal as a conse-plains of the south when') oats, wheat, rue POPULATION COUNCIL. INC.. IM 1 tion of governmental policies in social SWEDEN and economic matters. Worth noting isalso the absence of significant racial or ethnic minorities in Sweden. Intarnabonalbound*T/ The main exports today are forest County boundary products, machinery and instruments, base metals, and transport equip- ment. In 1970 agricultural products made up only 2.3 percent of exports while machinery, instruments, and transport equipment made up close Luld to 40 percent. Population TOTAL SIZE As of 31 December 1971, the total population of Sweden was 8,115,426: Umei The population density, averaging 18 inhabitants per square kilometer, is one of the lowest in Europe. HOUSEHOLDS According to the 1965 census, the total number of householdswas 2,777,647 with an average size of 2.7 members per household. To illustrate the small household size, 64.5 percent of the households in 1965 contained no children, and only 5.8 percent had three or more children. In 1960 the mean number of children in a two- ,-.!.$7.11*KHOLM., parent family was 1.07. Households in sparsely populated areas are slight- ly larger (10 percent) than the house- holds in densely populated areas. 9..190'41' 001eborg Households have decreased lit sive since the late nineteenth century .%; ,th i tiuttAAtt industrialization and urbanization. Among the reasons for the continued NMARK decline in household size are migra- MILES tion to urban areas where apartments 1,0 Ensmall and the likelihood of young 0 50 am ISO KILOMETERS people to move out and establish small households. MARRIAGE AND FERTILITY rye, barley, and potatoes are thesociety was not marred by major up-As of 31 December 1971, there were chief crops. The remaining part of theheaval. The facts that Sweden has1,590,560 women aged 15-44. Of country is covered by forests (54 per-had peace since 1814 and that emi-these, about 57 percent were married, cent of the total area) interspersedgration provided an outlet for theabout 38 percent never married, with tens of thousands of lakes (9 per-population pressure that had beenslightly more than 3 percent divorced, cent of the total area). built up around 1850 may explain theand fewer than 1 percent widowed. The most distinctive social charac-peaceful nature of the transition toOne reason for the large percentage of teristics of Sweden are its high stand-an industrial society. unmarried women is that Swedish ard of living and its comprehensive The reasons for Sweden's economicwomen marry relatively late. The social security system. In per capitawelfare have been given, on the onemarriage rate, which has traditionally gross national product it is exceededhand, as the long period